Congressman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin will not run for the Republican presidential nomination, he announced Monday on his Web site. He said he had chosen to seek re-election to the House of Representatives instead.

Ryan was a little-known politician until April, when, as chairman of the House Budget Committee, he proposed a budget that would have cut the federal deficit by more than $4 trillion, capped domestic spending, repealed President Obama's health care overhaul and restructured the Medicare and Medicaid programs.

There was tremendous opposition to the Ryan plan among liberal and many moderate voters, and it ultimately failed. However, the publicity catapulted Ryan onto the national stage and made him something of a hero among Tea Party members and other Republicans who had run on platforms of cutting government spending and taxes.

I sincerely appreciate the support from those eager to chart a brighter future for the next generation, Ryan wrote on his congressional campaign website. But while humbled by the encouragement, I have not changed my mind, and therefore I am not seeking our party's nomination for president.

Ryan's announcement leaves few contenders for the nomination who have not already entered the race, although Sarah Palin and George Pataki, the former New York governor, both indicated on Monday that they would declare their candidacies soon.

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